Coke breeze reclaiming system

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to process and apparatus for reclaiming small particles of coke, commonly known as coke breeze. Water containing coke breeze which is drained from the quenching car flows into a sump. A slurry pump is mounted for travel lengthwise and crosswise of said sump and pumps the water containing coke breeze into an elevated settling tank. Water drains from the settling tank back into the sump leaving coke breeze in the tank. At predetermined intervals, for example every third quench, a hydraulic gate on the bottom of the settling tank is opened and the coke breeze is allowed to fall onto the coke in the quenching car. Subsequently, the coke with coke breeze is dumped on a coke wharf and the coke breeze is recovered in a coke-screening station.

Unite tates atemt Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkoff Assismnl Examiner David Edwards Allorney-lohn L. Lipari ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to process and apparatus for reclaiming small particles of coke, commonly known as coke breeze. Water containing coke breeze which is drained from the quenching car flows into a sump. A slurry pump is mounted for travel lengthwise and crosswise of said sump and pumps the water containing coke breeze into an elevated settling tank. Water drains from the settling tank back into the sump leaving coke breeze in the tank. At predetermined intervals, for example every third quench, a hydraulic gate on the bottom of the settling tank is opened and the coke breeze is allowed to fall onto the coke in the quenching car. Subsequently, the coke with coke breeze is dumped on a coke wharf and the coke breeze is recovered in a coke-screening station.

PATENTEBummmn 3,627,

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COKE BREEZE RECLAIMING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of manufacture of coke and more specifically to the field of recovering coke breeze after the quenching of hot coke in quenching cars.

In the process of manufacturing coke, hot coke is pushed from the coke ovens into a quenching car. The quenching car is then positioned under nozzles from which water is sprayed onto the hot coke in order to cool it and eliminate hot spots. The water drains from the quenching car carrying with it quantities of small particles of coke, known as coke breeze.

2. Description of Prior Art In the past, recovery of coke breeze was performed by allowing the quench water to flow into a sump. In the sump the breeze settled to the bottom and periodically was cleaned out by either hand labor or by, for example, clamshell-type buckets. Such a process is obviously undesirable not only because of the labor required but also because of handling of the wet coke breeze.

Various other means for recovery of coke breeze have been tried. For example, the coke breeze has been recovered from the sump by automated scrapers. However, such scrapers require a specially built sump, a rather complex scraper construction to adapt itself to such a sump, and maintenance thereof while the handling of the wet coke breeze remained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the system of this invention is concerned with a traveling slurry pump which is adaptable for use with normal sumps of coke-quenching systems. The system includes a dolly, continuously movable in a reciprocating longitudinal direction over the length of the sump, and a carriage continuously movable transversely across the dolly in a reciprocating lateral direction over the width of the sump, A pump extends from the carriage vertically into the sump for pumping a water-coke breeze mixture through a flexible hose leading into a settling tank. When a sufficient quantity of coke breeze has settled in the settling tank, a flap gate, associated with the settling tank, is actuated to cause the coke breeze to be discharged from the settling tank onto the coke located in a quenching car beneath the settling tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view partially in cross section, of the coke breeze reclaiming system of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. I, with the sump being shown in cross section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral indicates a quenching car having coke (not shown) therein which is quenched with water 11 from nozzles 12-12 supported on a beam 13. The water, when passing over the coke in the quenching car, picks up coke breeze therewith and passes through openings (not shown) in the bottom of the quenching car onto a concrete catch basin 14 located therebelow. The coke breeze-water mixture from catch basin 14 flows into a trough I5 and into a conventional-type concrete wall sump 16.

Sump 16 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending walls 17-17 having rails 18-18 which extend along the top surface thereof in parallel spaced relationship and over which wheels 19-19 of a dolly 20 travel. The dolly is driven by suitable means, such as a reversible electric motor 21, and has contacting members 22-22 located on opposing ends thereof which are in alignment with respective limit switches 23-23 located in the path of movement of the dolly at the far ends of the sump for contact with said contacting members for causing a reverse movement of the motor. Accordingly, as the dolly completes its travel from one end to the other over the length of the sump, contacting member 22 strikes limit switch 23 thereby causing a reversal of motor 22 and, accordingly, reverse travel of the dolly. The dolly also has mounted thereon a pair of rails 25-25 extending transversely across the width of the sump and over which wheels 26-26 of a carriage 30 travel.

Carriage 30 is provided with a slurry pump 31, having a connecting pipe 310 which extends vertically to a position adjacent the bottom of the sump. Pump 31 is operable by a motor 32 for pumping the water-coke breeze mixture from the bottom of the sump through a flexible conduit 33 which is anchored at 34 and into an overhead settling tank 35. The carriage is provided with contacting members 36-36 on opposing ends thereof which are in alignment with respective limit switches 37-37 extending upwardly from dolly side members 38-38 and in the path of movement of the carriage. Thus, as the carriage completes its travel from one side to the other over the width of the sump, member 36 strikes limit switch 37 thereby causing a reversal of motor 39 and, accordingly, reverse travel of the carriage.

The top end of settling tank 35 is connected to an overhead beam 40 by members 41-41 and is supported at the lower end by a holding member 42 projecting from frame 43. Located at the bottom open end of the settling tank is a hydraulically operated gate 45 which normally is in a locked position to seal the said bottom end in order to receive settled coke breeze thereon. The gate is pivotally mounted at 46 to frame 43 and is operable by a dual hydraulic cylinder 47 having a piston 48 connected to one end of the gate. Associated linkage 49 is connected to piston 48a to facilitate operation of the gate. A pair of inclined walls 50-50 extend upwardly from the gate on opposing sides of the bottom end of the tank, said walls together with the gate serving as a chute for the coke breeze, when the gate is open, to guide the coke breeze into a quenching car located thereunder.

In operation, as the dolly continuously moves over the length of the sump, e.g., at a rate of approximately 3 feet per minute, the carriage continuously moves simultaneously therewith transversely over the width of the sump, e.g., at a rate of approximately 8 feet per minute, pumping the watercoke breeze mixture from substantially the whole bottom area of the sump. The water-coke breeze mixture passes through conduit 33 and into settling tank 35 wherein it is permitted to settle for a predetermined desired time. A pipe 52 extends downwardly from the settling tank for permitting any overflow of the water-coke breeze mixture to flow into trough 15 and into sump 16. The hydraulic cylinder 47 is then actuated by suitable conventional means to cause the gate to pivot downwardly and thereby cause settled coke thereon to fall by gravity onto hot coke located in an awaiting quenching car. Additionally, clarified water, located near the top surface of the sump, may be recirculated by conventional pump means (not shown) with the necessary makeup water to the nozzles 12-12 for quenching coke in the quenching car.

While specific speed rates have been set forth for the dolly and carriage, it is understood that such is for illustrative purposes only. Various rates may be used, however, with the understanding that preferably the carriage travels at a relatively faster rate than the dolly so as to insure that the pump covers substantially the bottom area of the sump to pump the coke breeze therefrom.

Iclaim:

1. A system for reclaiming coke breeze in a quenching station comprising:

sprayer means adapted to spray water onto hot coke in a quenching car located in said quenching station;

a sump having a relatively flat bottom surface into which drain water containing coke breeze from the quenching car flows;

means for transporting a slurry pump having a suction means adjacent to and substantially along the whole bottom surface of the sump said transporting means including a dolly reciprocatively movable over the length of the sump and a carriage cooperatively associated with the dolly for reciprocating movement over the width of the sump simultaneously with the dolly;

a flexible conduit extending from the slurry pump to an elevated settling tank into which coke breeze settles; and,

means for discharging the coke breeze from the settling tank onto the coke in the quenching car.

2. A system according to claim 1 which further includes means for reciprocating clarified water located from a point well above the bottom of the sump onto the hot coke in the quenching car.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said discharging means is a hydraulically operated gate located at the bottom of the settling tank to permit discharging of coke breeze therefrom.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein guide members project upwardly from said gate and together with the gate serve as a chute, when the gate is open, for flow of the coke breeze from the settling tank onto the coke.

5 A system for reclaiming coke breeze in a quenching station which comprises:

sprayer means adapted to spray water onto hot coke in a quenching car in said quenching station;

a sump having a relatively flat bottom surface into which drain water containing coke breeze from the quenching car flows;

means for transporting a slurry pump apparatus which includes a dolly movable along the top surface of the sump and over the length of the sump, a carriage movable simultaneously with and along a transverse path provided on the dolly and over the width of the sump, and switching means for causing reciprocating movement of said dolly and carriage;

a flexible conduit extending from the slurry pump to an elevated settling tank;

means for pumping coke breeze-water mixture from the sump through the conduit and into the settling tank during movement of the transporting means;

means for discharging coke breeze from the settling tank onto the hot coke in the quenching car, said means including a gate located beneath and normally in intimate contact with the bottom end of the settling tank for receiving settled coke breeze thereon; and,

means for opening the gate to permit coke breeze to be discharged therefrom onto the hot coke.

6. A system according to claim 5 which further includes means for recirculating clarified water located at a point well above the bottom of the sump onto the hot coke in the quenching car.

7. A system according to claim 5 wherein guide members project upwardly from said gate and together with the gate serve as a chute, when the gate is open, for flow of the coke breeze from the settling tank onto the hot coke.

8. A system according to claim 5 wherein the carriage moves simultaneously with the dolly and at a relatively faster rate than the dolly.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the carriage moves at a rate approximately three times the rate of the dolly.

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2. A system according to claim 1 which further includes means for reciprocating clarified water located from a point well above the bottom of the sump onto the hot coke in the quenching car.
 3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said discharging means is a hydraulically operated gate located at the bottom of the settling tank to permit discharging of coke breeze therefrom.
 4. A system according to claim 3 wherein guide members project upwardly from said gate and together with the gate serve as a chute, when the gate is open, for flow of the coke breeze from the settling tank onto the coke.
 5. A system for reclaiming coke breeze in a quenching station which comprises: sprayer means adapted to spray water onto hot coke in a quenching car in said quenching station; a sump having a relatively flat bottom surface into which drain water containing coke breeze from the quenching car flows; means for transporting a slurry pump apparatus which includes a dolly movable along the top surface of the sump and over the length of the sump, a carriage movable simultaneously with and along a transverse path provided on the dolly and over the width of the sump, and switching means for causing reciprocating movement of said dolly and carriage; a flexible conduit extending from the slurry pump to an elevated settling tank; means for pumping coke breeze-water mixture from the sump through the conduit and into the settling tank during movement of the transporting means; means for discharging coke breeze from the settling tank onto the hot coke in the quenching car, said means including a gate located beneath and normally in intimate contact with the bottom end of the settling tank for receiving settled coke breeze thereon; and, means for opening the gate to permit coke breeze to be discharged therefrom onto the hot coke.
 6. A system according to claim 5 which further includes means for recirculating clarified water located at a point well above the bottom of the sump onto the hot coke in the quenching car.
 7. A system according to claim 5 wherein guide members project upwardly from said gate and together with the gate serve as a chute, when the gate is open, for flow of the coke breeze from the settling tank onto the hot coke.
 8. A system according to claim 5 wherein the carriage moves simultaneously with the dolly and at a relatively faster Rate than the dolly.
 9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the carriage moves at a rate approximately three times the rate of the dolly. 